No
matter
how
seasoned
of a
test
taker
you
happen
to be,
there
is no
getting
around
the
fact
that
even
the
best "cool
and
collected" test
takers
can
get
nervous.
Actually,
this
can
be to
your
advantage
because
sometimes
a little
case
of the
nerves
can
keep
you
alert
and
at the
top
of your
test-taking
game.
On the
other
hand,
if you
get
too
inside
your
own
head,
so to
speak,
it can
distract
from
your
ability
to do
your
best,
and
all
the
preparation
and
studying
you
have
done
can
go out
the
window.

The
good
news
is that
you
can
keep
your
anxiety
in check.
The
fact
that
you
are
reading
this
book
and
taking
the
time
to prepare
is going
to really
help
you,
perhaps
more
than
you
are
aware.
The
bottom
line
is that
if you
take
the
time
to prepare,
your
nerves
are
far
less
likely
to get
the
better
of you!

This
chapter
gives
you
not
only
some
practical
tips
on how
to beat
test
anxiety,
but
also
good
advice
on general
test-taking
strategies.
You
can
use
this
chapter
to calm
any
nagging
fears
or concerns
that
you
aren't
a good
test-taker.
Indeed,
within
every
person
lies
a great
test-taker
just
waiting
to come
out.
This
chapter
can
put
you
in touch
with
that
person!

A
General
Test-Taking
Strategy

Some people think that the actual test day is the only real part of the
test-taking process. In reality, there are two steps, with preparation being
just as important as actually taking the test.

But what does "test preparation" really entail? Well, there is the
obvious, which is understanding the exam questions and taking practice exams.
But there are also some other very important elements to test preparation that
go far beyond the work you’ll do with the practice exercises that compose
most of this book.

What are these elements? They vary from person to person, but generally
speaking, we can call them the "night before the test" preparations.
They consist of such things as getting a good night’s sleep and being sure
you have your route mapped out to the testing center. (Nothing like getting lost
the morning of the exam to really get those nerves hopping!) We’re going
to talk quite a bit about these special preparations in this chapter, through
the introduction of your fictitious (but realistic) "test-taking
partner," Bill Roberts.

The second component of the test-taking process is, of course, taking the
test. You’ll have done lots of great preparation heading into the test,
but you aren’t going to be able to refer to your notes (or this book, for
that matter). That said, there are several tips and tricks you can use to keep
your mind focused, and to help you achieve the highest score. Some of these are
obvious (for example, don’t cheat). Others might seem obvious on the
surface (for example, listen to and read directions carefully), but they are in
fact more complicated than they might otherwise seem. This chapter looks at all
these elements.